Well, if I needed proof no one pays the slightest bit of attention to me on tumblr, I got it the other day when I attempted to tout my two song fics I posted here on there.
Crickets (yeah you get a cute animated one)
Ah, well live and learn.
I am excited for you all to read all my flashes coming up. I am thoroughly scheduled all the way through October now. I am soooo pleased with myself. I really am. Some of these flashes coming up are just great, if I do say so myself.
I have only the four Wednesday ones to write for November and then I will be finished for flashes all the way through then. I plan to have those done this coming week. My OMS story for November is complete too.
Once November’s are finished, I will take a break from writing flashes and not start the December ones until October.
AO3 updates for this week are Nine Lives and Cadet Ashayam. Sorry, that’s all I can manage right now.
Mylochkatee from tumblr has been going crazy with artwork today and she did a bunch for me. I have added some here for you to see but please check her out on AO3 and give her your kudos. They are well deserved. In particular check out the “Princes” one she did. Stunning.
Today’s flash is inspired by England Dan and John Ford Coley’S Nights are Forever
Spock rose from bed after trying for two hours straight to get to sleep. It had not come and he felt as though he had simply wasted the time even trying.
The time was two in the morning.
He had deliberately stayed awake until midnight, expecting to be tired. Reluctantly, he had changed out of day clothing and wore a sleeping robe to bed.
Even meditation had not helped.
He walked out of the bedroom and over to the
sliding glass window overlooking San Francisco. The rain, which had been coming
down all day, had not let up even a little. It was splattered all over the
window and in the distance, Spock watched as lightening flashed.
The apartment was quiet. Too quiet.
Spock went to the kitchen and pressed on the
light. Tea was in order since he could not sleep.
Over the years, when he could not sleep, it
hadn’t been a problem, because he had someone who was more than willing to help
him. Being a Vulcan with insomnia…well.
His PADD sat upon the kitchen counter where
he’d left it but there was no flash indicating he had any messages.
As
the subject indicates, I am struggling to get rest without you here with me. I
have been waiting and wondering about you. I had anticipated being able to hear
from you during your Federation Conference on Rigel 3. I can only imagine that matters
are not proceeding well and it requires your full attention. I realize that
comes first. But my missing you is a much stronger emotional response than I
had expected. It is too soon for my time, and yet, something is causing me a
heightened sense of longing to have you with me. Perhaps it is simply that I have
become so used to you as my husband and mate, here by my side, that even this time
is too long. Still, when you departed for the conference, it was only supposed
to be a week, and now you have been away for three.
I
conclude this logically unnecessary correspondence to reiterate the subject of the
message.
Nights
are, indeed, forever without you.
Yours,
Always, Spock
He hit send before he thought better of it.
Jim’s last message had stated he would be back in another week, and that was
half a week ago. So, therefore, Spock had a few more nights to deal with this.
And he would, because he had to, didn’t he?
He drank his tea and then, once more, went to
bed.
When he woke, he was surprised that he had actually
fallen asleep at all. He turned his head on the pillow.
“Jim!” The loud exclamation came out before Spock could stop it, startling Jim awake, the blue eyes going instantly wide. “I am sorry. Sorry, Ashayam.”
Spock pulled Jim to him, so tight, he heard
Jim squeak.
“Morning,” Jim said, with a small laugh.
Not willing to release him, Spock asked Jim’s
back, “When did you get here?”
“About an hour ago. Spock.” Jim laughed. “My ribs.”
Wincing, Spock did lessen his hold on his husband
and pulled back to look into that beloved face. “You managed to arrive and get
into bed without waking me?”
“Hey. I can be quiet. I know you have trouble
sleeping sometimes, so I thought I’d better not disturb you.”
Spock let out a shaky breath. “I cannot believe
you are here. I thought I had to endure a few more days of solitude.”
“Well. I missed you too.”
He flipped Jim onto his back, leaning down to
cover Jim with kisses, which only made his husband laugh, a little
breathlessly.
Then Jim put his hand up to Spock’s face. “Hey.”
“Yes, Jim?”
“For the record? Nights are forever without
you, too.”
In my continuing saga of our garage door, it has been officially ordered through the garage door company contracted through Costco. It says it can take 4-6 weeks to order it, so I sure hope it’s on the shorter side of the four weeks. The guy put estimated completion date November 06, which is EIGHT weeks, so let’s hope that’s not actually true. They had the lowest price, plus we get a $200 Costco Gift card. Guess I wasn’t kidding that much when I joked to M about it being done in time for Christmas.
I am almost done with the conclusion of clueless Spock and yes there is a happy ending after all. Then it’s the last one in October. Sorry for any delays, but today at work, well, I worked. HA HA
As you know, or should recall, we are moving from our current building which we’ve been at for like I don’t know 30 years. I’ve been there myself for a number of years, though not the whole 30 obviously. This is a HUGE change for all of us. It’s only a few blocks away but in a new area with new parking and new building and smaller desks and well…at it’s now less than three weeks. We go to the new office beginning September 30th! So we are packing and doing crazy shit right now.
So I do apologize. I am trying to get out as much as I can on AO3. I did um…what did I do? The Space in My Bed and Our So-Called Life. Yes, that’s right.
Friday’s a new song flash. Let’s just say it’s a song from the 1970s! WOO HOO.
On the drive home I was listening to the radio and they played Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield (who flung his sweat on me one day but that’s another story) and I was singing it as Uhura’s Boy! HA HA HA. Instead of where can I find a woman like that, it became “Where Can I Find a Vulcan like That?”
On September 11, 2011, the ten year anniversary of that dreadful, heartbreaking day, I spent most that day on a website dedicated to online memorials for those that perished in the two towers. It was emotionally draining and crippling, but something, on that day, I needed to do.
I can hardly believe it has been another eight years since then.
On this day in 2001, I will never forget watching the buildings collapse on television. It was…mind boggling. The television was on at work and we were all glued to the coverage. I can still hear Peter Jennings in my head.
The night before, my friends and I had been at the mall shopping for a European trip we were taking in October. We never imagined what the next day would bring. If there was any innocence left on September 10th, it was definitely gone forever on the 11th
I had taken the bus that morning and being on the West Coast the news was already coming in. Eventually, my job at the time, dismissed us for the day, knowing there was no work getting done, and those in charge there just as stunned as we were. A friend drove me home. I watched the news nonstop the rest of the day, emotionally wrecked and distraught.
There are things you never forget if you lived through them. The Riots here after the Rodney King thing, OJ Simpson’s being exonerated even though we knew he was guilty, stuff like that. But it all pales in my mind and memories to September 11, 2001.
Spock
straightened away from Nyota who had motioned him over to her station so that
she could ask him what was wrong. He exchanged a look with her before stepping away.
“My
apologies, Captain,” Spock said coolly, returning to his science station.
Jim
waved that away. “Wasn’t just you.”
Sulu and
Chekov rather pointedly stared straight ahead.
“Mr. Chekov,
you’re part of the landing party. Lieutenant Uhura, please have Doctor McCoy,
Mr. Hendorff, and Mr. Scott meet us at the transporter room.” Jim rose from his
chair and headed for the turbolift, following by Chekov. “You have the command,
Spock.”
“Captain.”
He
stopped but didn’t turn around. “Yeah?”
“During
our prior meetings regarding this mission, it was concluded that I would be an
asset on the landing party.”
“I’ve
decided to have Chekov in your place. He could use the science experience.” Jim
turned then to gaze at Spock, expression schooled and blank. “Is that a
problem, Mister Spock?”
“No,
Captain.”
Jim
nodded and entered the turbolift as did Chekov and the doors closed.
Nyota
approached him. “What was that?”
Spock
exhaled. “I do not know.”
Much
later after the landing party returned, Spock went to the medbay. Surprisingly,
it was not Jim who had been injured, but Chekov and Hendorff. But Jim stood by
the biobed next to the ensign while McCoy examined him.
“Reporting,
Captain. The situation is stable.”
“Good,” the
captain replied. “You okay, Chekov?”
“Yes,
sir.”
Without
even looking in Spock’s direction, Jim went over to the biobed with Hendorff.
Nurse Chapel was with him. Spock followed.
“Good
work down there, Lieutenant.”
“Glad to
be of service, Captain.”
“Extra service
today.”
“Oh?”
Spock asked politely.
Hendorff
shrugged. “Nothing, Commander. They were just going to take the captain hostage
and I prevented it.”
“And got
injured in the process,” Jim added. “I’ll put an accommodation in your file.
How is he?” He directed this at Chapel.
“He’ll
be fine. Few days of rest, he’ll be good as new.”
Jim
smiled and nodded, turning away and heading for the exit.
Spock
followed.
Jim
stopped just outside the medbay doors turning, toward him/ “I’m off duty so I’m
headed for my quarters.”
“You
definitely could use some rest.”
“Yeah.
Why aren’t you on the bridge?”
“Mr.
Sulu is in charge at the moment, but I’m on my way there. Chess later?”
The
captain didn’t respond at first and Spock got the oddest feeling he was
counting to ten in his head. But then he very slowly let out a breath.
“Okay.
Sure. Why not? Twenty-one hundred. My quarters.”
“I will
be there.”
Jim
started to turn away, but then stopped. “You know what? Scratch that. How about
the rec room instead?”
“The…rec
room?” They had not played chess there in months. Jim preferred relaxing in his
quarts and frankly, so did Spock.
“Yeah.
We should socialize more with the crew, I think. Put in an appearance of a
united front. That kind of thing.”
“As you
wish, Captain.”
Jim
offered him a smile but it was brittle and Spock knew with absolute certainty he
had failed some kind of Kirk test.
I said something about finishing The Ties That Bind. Er…I finished THAT story on August 15th! Lord save me from myself.
Really what is up next for updates is the kid story, Our So-Called Life. So, once I do the new chapter of Stranded 3 and Orchestral Maneuvers, THAT will be next.
None of that will be done before I finish September, October and November. The very good news is I have ONE story left for October. And one conclusion to write on the Wednesday flashes appearing this month. Then I move onto November. The Friday flashes for November are done but none of the Wednesday ones (4 of those). But I did finish my AOS OMS story to debut on AOS in November. Wooh.
Then one more quarter of my brain will be restored and I will have 3/4s to work on other stuff. Yah….
I am currently working on the second to the last flash for October. This is the Wednesday flashes as I had already finished the Friday ones. Soon, October will be scheduled completely and in the bag.
For November, all my Friday flashes are done and scheduled. I need to finish my OMS story for posting for the challenge in November on A03 and then I will move on to my OMS Wednesday flashes for November. There are four Wednesdays in November.
Whew. Once that is all done, which I hope is this week, I will have everything written for October and November and so can than move on to updating another story on AO3. December stuff can wait just a bit.
I did manage to update The Space in My Bed. When I do update it will probably be Stranded 3, but we shall see.
In other news, the Insurance did pay us for the garage door, so now we have to order the door and wait until that comes in before we can get it installed. We’ve been told it can take a month! It’s never easy! But the insurance paying was good news.
I expect my current continuing Wednesday flashes to be done by the end of September. So…
In October, Wednesday flashes will be taken over by Autumn/Halloween themed flashes, beginning October 02 and continuing through October 30. I will try not to make them too spooky. I have already written and scheduled the October 02 and October 09 and can advise that the first is not scary at all, though the second one might be to the fainted-hearted. Anyway, you can look forward to those.
In November, in honor of OMS month (Old Married Spirk), Wednesdays flashes will be taken over by the TOS Spirk guys from November 06-November 27 (Wednesdays).
Decembers will be…well yeah, 25 Days of Christmas/Holidays. Ugh. LOL.
I will revisit what I will do for flashes for 2020 in January. But this is your notification for the rest of the year. And yes, I might be insane. But you knew that.
Today’s Song Inspirations is You Sang to Me by Marc Anthony
Jim woke up with a bitch of a headache. He
supposed that was what he got for trying to drown his feelings in far too much
alcohol.
Lying in the bed next to him, head currently
turned in the other direction so Jim couldn’t see his face, was his first
officer.
Spock.
And wasn’t that an interesting end to the
night. Morning. Whatever.
The sliding glass door of the hotel room was
open and Jim could hear the waves lapping against the shore from his place on
the bed.
Damn, he loved shore leave.
He hadn’t before, to be honest. Spock had to
talk him into even going on shore leave, and worse than that, Spock hadn’t
intended to go. Until Jim had called him down.
Spock came too.
Jim had needed…well Spock, actually. The
comfort of Spock. Jim didn’t know when Spock had become that for him, but he
didn’t question it.
Jim had been sitting in the hotel bar, drinking
way too much, and alone besides, when he’d checked his messages and saw one
from his mom. Frank had died. And wow, that had filled him with a dozen
different feelings.
Suddenly he hadn’t wanted to be alone. Not at
all. And he’d taken out his communicator and stared at the contact for Leonard
McCoy.
But no. Bones wouldn’t do it.
He’d wanted Spock. Needed him. More than taking
his own next breath, he’d wanted the man, er Vulcan, he loved more than
anything or anyone in the entire Universe, there with him.
Spock had made it there, too, in under ten
minutes. Jim had timed him while he anxiously waited.
Jim had fallen into Spock’s startled arms,
letting loose of a billion different feelings. Crying and sniveling all over
the Vulcan, until Spock got him out of the bar and back to his hotel room,
making him coffee, and listening, quite patiently, to every word Jim said.
Spock had been unexpectedly philosophical,
speaking of life, truth, and being free. And Jim was. He was free of Frank and
all the memories at last.
Then as Spock lapsed into silence, suddenly
seeming to be out of words, Jim looked deep into those brown eyes and his heart
nearly beat out of his chest.
“You…”
“Jim?”
“I can’t believe I didn’t realize.”
“Realize?”
Jim had risen from where he sat in a chair and
rushed at Spock. The Vulcan, to his credit, had not moved away. He stood his
ground and stared right back at Jim.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
And Spock kissed back. Boy did he ever kiss
back.
Jim had felt so much love, so much passion.
Even now he could hardly believe he’d never seen it in Spock’s eyes before,
because it definitely was there.
So much so that it was as if Spock sang to him.
Jim carefully rose from the bed, trying not to
disturb Spock after the night they’d had, and took a few steps over to the door
that led outside. He had no clothes on, but no one could see him from where he
stood. All that was around them was the ocean of the planet where they had
shore leave. Jim had chosen this particular room for that reason. No one around
him at all.
It promised to be a beautiful sunny day. Made
more beautiful with the realization that Spock returned every one of Jim’s
feelings. And more, perhaps.
Best of all, there was just the slightest buzz
in his brain that had nothing to do with the hangover. It flickered, warmed, and
then lit up, as the Vulcan himself opened his eyes.
Jim turned toward the bed. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Jim.” Spock sat up, wiping his
face with his hand. “You are standing before the open door with no clothes on.”
“Yep.”
Spock looked uncertain. “Jim, I—”
“You can’t take it back,” Jim said in a rush.
That earned him that famous raised eyebrow. “I
did not intend to take it back.”
“Good. Because I’m crazy for your love. Okay.”
He laughed. “Maybe just crazy. But damn, Spock, you’re amazing. And when you
melded us—”
“You are all right?”
“More than. You live inside me now.” Jim
exhaled. “I feel it. I feel you. And all that you feel. And I never want to be
without that, without you…again.”
He returned to the bed then, to kiss Spock,
because his beautiful love was looking vaguely befuddled, and it was such an
endearing look. He kissed him thoroughly.
“I’m hopelessly in love with you.”
“That is indeed excellent news because as you
are keenly aware, I love you as well.”
Oh yeah, he was. Every time Spock thrust within
him, he had punctuated it with “I love you”. It was glorious. Jim would
remember it for all his days.
“However—”
Jim stopped those words with his fingers,
shaking his head.
“If you were incapacitated due to alcohol—”
“No. I wasn’t. You had sobered me up enough. I
fully consented. And since we still have three more fantastic days of shore
leave, I intend to full consent frequently.”
Spock’s lips twitched. “I did not anticipate an
eagerness to engage in shore leave.”
Jim cupped Spock’s jaw as he leaned in for
another kiss. “I’m sorry I didn’t see what was right in front of me until now.”
“It was in front of both of us.” Spock started
to push him down on the bed.
“Wait! How about outside, on the beach? No one
is around.”
“Sand between our cheeks?” Spock shook his
head. “No. Perhaps a walk later after you have decided to rest from your
consenting.”
Jim grinned. “You’re on. Sing to me.”
Spock frowned. “Sing, Captain? But I lack the
skills associated with—”
Jim laughed and drew him down for a kiss. He didn’t let him up for air for quite some time.
